the present invention relates to a hydrocarbon extractor, and more particularly to an extractor of this kind which is intended to recover a liquid hydrocarbon from a mixture of water and hydrocarbon.
In numerous situations, for example in the case of vertical vessels such as the caisson sumps of a petroleum platform, the problem arises of water contaminated by the presence of a liquid hydrocarbon. In order to avoid any pollution of the sea it is necessary to separate the liquid hydrocarbon from the water before the latter is returned to the sea.
It has already been proposed to make use of a hydrocarbon extractor to recover the liquid hydrocarbon from the water. As a rule an extractor of this kind comprises an oleophilic belt driven to move through the mixture of hydrocarbon and water, together with means, such as scrapers, intended to remove the hydrocarbon from the belt.
The amount of hydrocarbon removed from the belt by, scrapers is necessarily limited. In addition, the prolonged use of the scrapers may lead to mechanical deterioration of the oleophilic belt.